Steam separators



Jan. 7, 1958 J. E. STEEL STEAM sEPARAToRs 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed April 1S, 1955 INVENTOR i JOHN ERIC ,STEEL BM Y,

ATTORNEYS Jall- 7, 1958 J. E. STEEL; 2,818,938

STEAM SEPARATORS Filed April 18, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 www4/m i 18 F G. 5 AWYQXWWYQQQYQYQWW -J INVENTQR JOHN ERIC STEEL ATTORNEYS nited States Patent STEAM SEPARATURS John Eric Steel, Morpeth, England, assigner to Steels Engineering Installations Limited, Sunderland, Eugland, a corporation of Great Britain Application April 18, 1955, Serial No. 501,927

3`Claims. (Cl. 183-112) This invention relates to steam separators and more particularly to plate type steam separators for removing water and other suspended matter.

Broadly stated, a steam separator constructed in accordance with this invention comprises a plurality of spaced perforated plates arranged within a casing the plate or plates adjacent to the steam inlet to the casing and the `plate or plates adjacent to the steam outlet therefrom being made of steel while the intermediate plates are made of sacrificial or expendable material, preferably from a metal low in the anodic scale.

The intermediate plates are conveniently made from zinc but any other metal low in the anodic scale is suitable while the steel plates are made from high grade steel especially suitable to withstand the erosive eiect of the steam flowing into and out of the separator.

All the separator plates are preferably perforated the perforations in one plate being staggered in relation to those in the next succeeding plate while conveniently the perforations in one plate are directed upwardly and those in the next succeeding plate are directed downwardly.

Alternative, if desired the plates may be provided with vertical slots the slots in succeeding plates being so formed and positioned as to give a side to side diversion to the steam flowing through the separator.

In a specic example of steam separator constructed according to the invention and described by way of example the separator casing comprises a cast steel box like structure having for connection in a pipe line a flanged inlet duct and a flanged outlet duct the two ducts being separated by an enlarged separating chamber flanged at its upper end for the accommodation of a detachable cover plate. The detachable cover plate is preferably rectangular and is attached to the ilanged upper surface of the separator chamber by studs and nuts.

The lower surface of the separator chamber is formed with a well which slopes downwardly from the inlet side to the outlet side where it is provided with any suitable drain aperture for condensate.

The separator plates are assembled within the separator chamber on a pair of steps one at each side of the wall to lie in planes transversely of the ow of iluid therethrough, each plate being spaced a predetermined distance from the next succeeding plate in any convenient manner for instance by bossing up the ends of the plates while to give the steam flowing through the separator a sinuous flow, and when the plates are in vertical planes the perforatious in one plate are directed upwardly and those in the next succeeding plate are directed downwardly and, moreover, are staggered in relation to the 'perforations in the preceding and succeeding plates.

Such an arrangement ensures exceedingly satisfactory separation of condensate and other suspended matter carried by the steam which drain to the bottom of the separator chamber well and thence to the outlet.

Any number of separator plates may be assembled within the separator chamber and preferably the iirst two plates at the inlet side of the separator chamber are made from high grade steel capable of withstanding the erosive action of the steam liowing through the pipeline and entering the inlet duct of the separator.

Having passed the first two plates the erosive action of the steam is spent owing chiey to the increased voltime of the separator chamber and consequently the next succeeding plates can be made from sacrificial materials and preferably such plates are made from zinc although it will be appreciated any other metal low in the anodic scale will be suitable.

As the steam llows towards the outlet of the separator the erosive action of the steam tends to become more pronounced owing to its faster flow towards the separator outlet and to counteract this erosive action the final plate of the stack, or if desired the l-ast two plates of the stack are made of high grade steel or other resistant material.

The invention will be further described with reference to the accompanying drawings which illustrate by Way of example a steam separator yaccording to this invention.

In the drawings Figure l is a sectional View and Figure 2 is a plan View of a steam separator casing according to this invention while Figures 3, 4 and 5 are respectively a side elevation and end elevation and a section on the line X--X of Figure 3 of a separator plate.

Referring now to the drawings, but rst more particularly to Figures l and 2, 1 generally designates a steam separator casing comprising a box like structure including a separating chamber 2 in which the separator plates are assembled on edge or vertically.

For connection in a pipe line the separating chamber 2 is provided with flanged inlet and outlet ducts 3 and 4 having the usual connecting bolt apertures 5 and 6 respectively.

The separating chamber 2 is conveniently hanged at its upper end at 7 for the accommodation of :a detachable cover 8 which is preferably rectangular and which is attached to the anged upper surface 7 by means of studs 9 and nuts 10.

As will be seen by reference to Figure 1 the lower surface 11 of the separating chamber is formed with a well 12 which slopes downwardly from the inlet to the outlet side, such well being provided with a drain aperture 13 for removal of condensate and other suspended matter. Steps 14 and 15 are provided at each side of the well to support the separator plates which as aforementioned are positioned on edge within the separator casing and when so positioned the plates rest upon the steps 14 and 15 and will accordingly have their bottom edges positioned above or spaced from the surface 11 of the well 12.

Referring now to Figures 3, 4 and 5 which illustrate a separator plate, each plate consists of a rectangular member 16 which in the embodiment illustrated is provided with vertical slots 17 extending through the plate, such slots being cut at an angle of approximately 45 so that by appropriately positioning the plates a sinuous side to side divergence of the steam flowing through the separator may be obtained.

For the appropriate spacing of succeeding plates within the separating chamber each plate is provided upon its side faces with bosses 18 which are preferably located at each corner of the plate.

Any number of separating plates 16 may be assembled within the casing the bosses 18 ensuring elective spacing between succeeding plates such plates being arranged according to this invention so that the first two plates at the inlet side and the nal or last two plates at the outlet side are made of high grade steel or other resistant material while the intermediate plates are made of sacrificial or expendable material.

The steam separator constructed according to the invention is especially suitable for use in a steam heating system for heating oil in fuel or cargo tanks in ships or in land storage tanks although it will be appreciated that its use is not limited to such a steam heating system.

What I claim is:

1. A steam separator `of the character stated comprising a rectangular box constituting a separating chamber having flanged inlet and outlet ducts and a detachable cover, said box having a bottom well sloping downwardly from the inlet to the outlet side, a pair of steps forming a portion `of said bottom wall one at each side of the well, and a plurality of perforated separator plates assembled within the separating chamber and disposed in spaced side 'by side vertical position across the chamber between the inlet and o-utlet ducts With their lower edges supported upon said steps.

2. A steam separator according to claim 1, wherein the separator plates carry bosses on both side faces which function to maintain the plates in said spaced position one plate from the next succeeding plate.

3. A steam separator according to claim 1, wherein the separator plates are solid and formed with perforations, the perforations in succeeding plates being oblique- 1y directed through the plates from one side face to the other and positioned as to give up and down diversion to the steam owing through the separator.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 381,150 Lowden Apr. 17, 1888 416,889 Barnard Dec. 10, 1889 1,752,260 Calder et al. Mar. 25, 1930 1,857,348 Bokenkroger May 10, 1932 2,611,446 Kennedy et al. Sept. 23, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 23,024 Great Britain Nov. 9, 1905 

